two others, fireman mike and thomas were pronounced dead. >> it's a very difficult situation. these people get up in the middle of the night to go put out fires. >> the shoots prevented firefighters from knocking down the flames. police and swat teams evacwait nearby homes. within hours the fire de stroid at least seven homes. de spite the tremendous toll, investigators say the community is no longer in danger. the gunman killed himself on the scene. he had a lengthy criminal record. >> in 1980, he was arrested by the webster police and charged with killing his grandmother. he was convicted in 1981. he served time in new york state prison system until 1998. >> word of the violence spread quickly through the town just east of ro chester. >> i've lived here my entire life. you never imagine anything, something like that happening so close to home. >> the timing of the tragedy is not lost on anyone. >> firemen going into help a situation out and this caused the type of outcome where, now, they're going to have the holidays where their family is not going to have them there. it's